Naiqama Lalabalavu (1953) Fijian politician
Parliamentary speech, 17 November 2005 (excerpts)
Lori Lentrall, in Secrets of an Undercover Agent (2008)
Naiqama Lalabalavu (1953) Fijian politician
Parliamentary speech, 17 November 2005 (excerpts)
“I want to rid my heart of envy
And cleanse my soul of rage
Before I'm through.”
Paul Simon (1941) American musician, songwriter and producer
Wartime Prayers
Song lyrics, Surprise (2006)
Context: Because you cannot walk with the holy,
If you're just a halfway decent man.
But I don't pretend that I'm a mastermind
With a genius marketing plan.I'm trying to tap into some wisdom,
Even a little drop would do.
I want to rid my heart of envy
And cleanse my soul of rage
Before I'm through.
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) Austrian-British philosopher
Source: 1930s-1951, Philosophical Occasions 1912-1951 (1993), Ch. 7 : Remarks on Frazer's Golden Bough, p. 131
Archilochus (-680–-645 BC) Ancient Greek lyric poet
Fragments
Variant: The affairs of gold-laden Gyges do not interest me
zealousy of the gods has never seized me nor anger
at their deeds. But I have no love for great tyranny
for its deeds are very far from my eyes.
Context: These golden matters
Of Gyges and his treasuries
Are no concern of mine.
Jealousy has no power over me,
Nor do I envy a god his work,
And I do not burn to rule.
Such things have no
Fascination for my eyes.
“On the pavement
of my trampled soul
the steps of madmen
weave the prints of rude crude words.”
Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893–1930) Russian and Soviet poet, playwright, artist and stage and film actor
"1" (1913); translation from Patricia Blake (ed.) The Bedbug and Selected Poetry (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975) p. 53
Merle Shain (1935–1989) Canadian writer
Some Men are More Perfect Than Others (1973)
Melinda M. Snodgrass (1951) American writer
Source: Queen's Gambit Declined (1989), Chapter 17 (p. 224)
“I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.”
Booker T. Washington book Up from Slavery
Variant: I would permit no man, no matter what his colour might be, to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.
Source: 1900s, Up From Slavery (1901), Chapter XI: Making Their Beds Before They Could Lie On Them. This statement was quoted in Charm and Courtesy in Conversation (1904) by Frances Bennett Callaway, p. 153 as "I permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him." It has also often been paraphrased in various other ways: I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him. I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him. I let no man drag me down so low as to make me hate him.
Source: Up from Slavery
Chrystos (1946) American writer, activist
"They're always telling me I'm too angry" (1995)